SB3813 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB103 39575 KTG 69830 b

103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
SB3813

Introduced 2/20/2024, by Sen. Doris Turner

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

325 ILCS 5/7.5a new

Amends the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Provide that if a caseworker of the Department of Children and Family Services, including an intact family specialist or placement specialist, believes that a parent, guardian, or other responsible adult of a child has made a credible threat of violence against the caseworker during a prior home visit, the caseworker may (i) request that local law enforcement officers accompany the caseworker on any subsequent home visits for that child or (ii) request that the Department reassign the child's case to another caseworker. Requires law enforcement officers to, upon request, make all reasonable efforts to assist the caseworker in receiving law enforcement assistance from any other police jurisdiction that is outside the accompanying officers' primary jurisdiction.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning children.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act is amended by adding Section 7.5a as follows:

(325 ILCS 5/7.5a new)

Sec. 7.5a. Caseworker protections. If a caseworker of the Department, including an intact family specialist or placement specialist, believes that a parent, guardian, or other responsible adult of a child has made a credible threat of violence against the caseworker during a prior home visit, the caseworker may (i) request that local law enforcement officers accompany the caseworker on any subsequent home visits for that child or (ii) request that the Department reassign the child's case to another caseworker. Law enforcement officers shall, upon request, make all reasonable efforts to assist the caseworker in receiving law enforcement assistance from any other police jurisdiction that is outside the accompanying officers' primary jurisdiction. As used in this Section, "credible threat of violence" means a statement or course of conduct that causes a reasonable person to fear for the person's safety or for the safety of others.